


the lonely other side of the world

by sandpapersnowman



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Caretaking, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Hair Washing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:13:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29162475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandpapersnowman/pseuds/sandpapersnowman
Summary: "Feels weird," Jaskier complains, itching at the bandage around his neck.Geralt has blood streaked through his hair —humanblood, from the group of men that had the bad luck of running into Jaskier and trying to rob him. They could have lived if they'd given up, but they doubled down and once the blade nicked Jaskier's throat, that was it.Geralt looks up at him with no amusement."Is it less comfortable than being dead?"
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 2
Kudos: 120





	the lonely other side of the world

**Author's Note:**

> wrote this forever ago and apparently just never posted it dkjhfg
> 
> title from phoenix's [J-Boy](https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/phoenix/jboy.html)

"Feels weird," Jaskier complains, itching at the bandage around his neck. 

Geralt has blood streaked through his hair — _human_ blood, from the group of men that had the bad luck of running into Jaskier and trying to rob him. They could have lived if they'd given up, but they doubled down and once the blade nicked Jaskier's throat, that was it. 

Geralt looks up at him with no amusement.

"Is it less comfortable than being dead?"

Jaskier snorts, shrugging off his ruined shirt along with the rest of his clothes. 

"Suppose I wouldn't know, thanks to you," he teases. 

Jaskier makes his way into the creek first, sighing as the cool water soothes his adrenaline nerves.

Geralt steps in a moment after, stripped as well. He wets his hair first with a brisk dunk underwater; while the blood is still drying but not quite coming off in flakes yet is the easiest time to wash it out. 

"I do mean it, though," Jaskier says. To human ears, he could be drowned out by the cicadas and birds and breeze, but Geralt can hear him perfectly fine. "Thank you. For saving me," he clarifies. "Again."

Geralt hums in acknowledgement.

He wouldn't call Jaskier his friend, but only because he's not sure exactly what a _friend_ is. The bard talks too much for his own liking, but he's come to prefer it over the silence of traveling alone. He can be lewd, and more than once Geralt has had to remove himself from a conversation as Jaskier 'embellishes' some encounter he had in a barn as a younger man, but Jaskier is witty and has an undeniable way with words that keeps Geralt listening from the other side of the inn anyway.

Jaskier could very well be his friend. Geralt doesn't want him to die, moreso than his general dislike of things dying, and the idea of Jaskier being gone makes him... Uncomfortable. 

"Let me," Jaskier interrupts his thoughts. "Come on, kneel."

Geralt does, sinking into the water up to his chest so Jaskier can better reach him.

The bard's fingers thread easily through Geralt's hair, as though it's untangling simply from his presence. His fingertips rub at his scalp, nails scraping and dislodging dirt, blood, and a deep sigh out of Geralt's chest.

"Good," Jaskier coos, "good witcher."

Geralt grunts in general disagreement, but he does shut his eyes and let Jaskier continue.

His hair drapes around his face enough to hide his smile, anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm also on tumblr! hmu!


End file.
